tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327380972019-03-21T17:28:51.135+00:00Bear AlleySomewhere I can talk about my favourite subjects: old British comics, story papers and paperbacks.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.comBlogger4429125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-46711820655082672252019-03-21T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-21T05:03:05.582+00:00Commando 5211-5214 Brand new Commando issues are out today! We’ve got fighting jazzmen in Italy, bicycles to Dunkirk, and a giant gun on the loose! Plus, the final issue of the WAR ACROSS EUROPE trilogy!
5211: WAR ACROSS EUROPE: Revenge!
The final issue of WAR ACROSS EUROPE is here and vengeance is nigh! In this instalment, Stefan comes face to face with his arch-nemesis, Kriminaldirektor Hans Keller, a vile Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-86369952634294755372019-03-20T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-20T05:03:01.779+00:00Rebellion releases (2000AD)
Rebellion releases for 20 March 2019.
2000AD Prog 2123
Cover: Leigh Gallagher
JUDGE DREDD: CITIZENSHIP by Rory McConville (w) Jake Lynch (a) John Charles (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SURVIVAL GEEKS: DUNGEONS & DATING by Emma Beeby, Gordon Rennie (w)
Neil Googe (a) Gary Caldwell (c) Annie Parkhouse Ville (l)
KINGMAKER: OUROBOROS by Ian Edginton (w) Leigh Gallagher (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
GREY AREAStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-68989152027744881902019-03-18T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-18T07:00:22.873+00:00Fran of the Floods
The 1960s and 1970s were the great age of disaster strips in comics. The term "cozy catastrophe" was coined by Brian Aldiss to describe a couple of novels by John Wyndham, but has broadened over the years to encompass any post-apocalypse novel where the protagonist survives relatively unscathed in a world that has been emptied through disaster or invasion; you might also add that rebuilding Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-76831383920366443202019-03-17T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-17T06:56:32.489+00:00P. Walford
P. WALFORD
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
P. Walford was known to collectors of children’s as the illustrator of a handful of school and adventure stories, although this work appears to have been an occasional sideline from his main job as an art teacher. Unfortunately, his life is something of a mystery.
He was born on 31 January 1893 in Buckingham, and christened Percival John Walford, the Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-8539775196795133722019-03-15T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-15T05:03:05.903+00:00Comic Cuts - 15 March 2019
The problem with having a full-time job – which is what I have at the moment, even if it's only temporary – is that I keep looking enviously at other projects and wishing I could work on them. There's the Valiant index, for instance, or the fifth volume of Forgotten Authors, or a return to the Caught in the Act project, a top-to-toe revision of The Mushroom Jungle, or the book on pirate comics Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-28816657665503502522019-03-13T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-13T05:03:05.400+00:00Rebellion Releases (2000AD)Today's releases from Rebellion – 13 March 2019.
2000AD Prog 2122
Cover: Alex Ronald
JUDGE DREDD: MACHINE LAW by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SKIP TRACER: LOUDER THAN BOMBS by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Quinton Winter (c) Ellie De Ville (l)
THARG'S 3RILLERS: TOOTH AND NAIL by Andi Ewington (w) Staz Johnson (a) Abigail Bulmer (c) Simon Bowland (Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-8967055940570554802019-03-10T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-10T05:03:02.044+00:00R H Brock
R.H. BROCK
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
R.H. Brock is the “forgotten” Brock brother. Two of his siblings, C.E. Brock and H.M. Brock, were amongst the best-known and most talented illustrators of their era, both with a similar but instantly recognisable style. R.H. Brock was generally regarded as the least talented of the three, and he was certainly nowhere near as prolific. Yet he was a Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-73390599129724270332019-03-08T08:02:00.000+00:002019-03-08T08:02:03.710+00:00Juan Arancio (1931-2019)
Argentinean comic artist and painter, Juan Arancio, died of respiratory failure at a hospital in his home town of Santa Fe on March 1, 2019, aged 87. In the UK he is best known for his work on 'Shako', the early 2000AD strip which pitted a CIA hunter, Jake Falmuth, against a polar bear with a taste for human flesh that has swallowed a deadly germ-filled capsule. Arancio's opening episode to Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-25810411127405813372019-03-08T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-08T05:03:00.900+00:00Comic Cuts 8 March 2019
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on these company profiles that I have been writing since December. I'm working on sixty-something of eighty, so another few weeks and I'll be on the job market again.
I should be hauling stuff out of boxes and putting it on Ebay, because I've always put it off "until I get some spare time". Well, my time might be going spare for some while, judging Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-53216582382108347762019-03-07T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-07T05:03:08.220+00:00Commando 5207-5210 Spiders, jets, avengers, and rebels! All this in brand new Commando issues 5207 – 5210 out today! Plus, the debut of a new Commando cover artist and the second part of the WAR ACROSS EUROPE trilogy!
5207: WAR ACROSS EUROPE: Resist!
The second instalment of Commando’s one-off, three-part series WAR ACROSS EUROPE! After fleeing their homeland after its invasion, Stefan and Grigor join the Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-8751316028851617922019-03-06T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-06T05:03:01.686+00:00Rebellion Releases (2000AD)Releases from Rebellion for 6-7 March 2019.
2000AD Prog 2121
Cover: Simon Fraser
JUDGE DREDD: MACHINE LAW by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SKIP TRACER: LOUDER THAN BOMBS by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Quinto Winter (c) (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
THARG'S 3RILLERS: TOOTH AND NAIL by Andi Ewington (w) Staz Johnson (a) Abigail Bulmer (c) Simon Bowland (lStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-65178937106935319692019-03-03T17:48:00.003+00:002019-03-18T14:59:05.919+00:00New Ebay listingsA few items that I'm listing on EBay. Click on the link to see the listing.
Vargo Statten Magazine, v1no1, 1954, Ron Turner cover, stories by Fearn, Tubb SOLD
Vargo Statten Magazine v1no.2, 1954, John Richards cover, stories by Fearn, Tubb
Vargo Statten Magazine v1no.3, 1954, John Richards cover, stories by Fearn, Glasby
Vargo Statten Magazine v1no.4, 1954, Ron Turner cover, stories Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-45363452383690227132019-03-03T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-03T05:03:00.136+00:00Thomas Somerfield
THOMAS SOMERFIELD
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
Thomas Somerfield was once known to two or three generations of readers of the boys’ story paper Chums as a prolific illustrator of adventure and historical stories. He also contributed to several other periodicals from 1904 onwards, and he also illustrated several boys’ novels as well as two or three girls’ stories and a couple of books for younger Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-75911118545325488462019-03-01T05:03:00.000+00:002019-03-01T05:03:09.516+00:00Comic Cuts - 1 March 2019
Just my luck: it's the warmest February on record, the sun is shining and I've managed to catch a cold. I woke up on Tuesday feeling a bit rough, but got through the day with a few sniffles and sneezes. Dosed up with paracetamol, I had an early night, but woke up at four in the morning with a blocked nose and sore throat.
Will some of the Co-op's own "Max Strength Cold & Flu Relief Powder for Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-6529047189799718222019-02-28T14:22:00.001+00:002019-02-28T14:27:56.401+00:00Commando: War Across Europe
Commando have released the following information about the 'War Across Europe' series, the first episode of which is currently in shops.
Commando presents ‘War Across Europe’ a three-part series inspired by true events that documents one man’s journey across Europe to help the fight to free the continent from the Nazis.
Based on his uncle’s experiences in the Second World War, prolific Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-66534218392373103452019-02-27T05:11:00.000+00:002019-02-27T08:30:59.251+00:00Rebellion Releases (2000AD)Releases from Rebellion for 27 February 2019.
2000AD Prog 2120
Cover: Adam Brown
JUDGE DREDD: MACHINE LAW by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SKIP TRACER: LOUDER THAN BOMBS by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Quinto Winter (c) (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
GREY AREA: HUNTED by Dan Abnett (w) Mark Harrison (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
THARG'S 3RILLERS: TOOTH AND NAIL Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-26194414947648220882019-02-24T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-24T05:03:14.990+00:00George Morrow
GEORGE MORROW
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
George Morrow was best-known as a cartoonist and comic illustrator, but he also illustrated several children’s books, aimed at a very wide range of ages.
He was born in Belfast on 5 September 1869, the son of George Morrow, a painter and decorator of 22 North Queen Street, Belfast, and a younger brother of the illustrator Albert Morrow. There is no Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-45229192230855710142019-02-22T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-22T05:03:08.983+00:00Comic Cuts - 22 February 2019
I'm still plugging away writing company profiles for a franchise magazine, although the end is in sight. There have been a few obvious interruptions earlier this month (still no news of when my One Show appearance is going out), but I have a straight run at this hereon until I'm done... sometime in March probably. After that...?
I've slipped back into some of my old habits – starting early andStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-34797583651377686542019-02-21T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-21T05:03:01.256+00:00Commando 5203-5206Brand new issues of Commando are out today! Get ready for revenge in the desert, a train heist in Nazi-occupied France, a deadly sortie in Florence, and the first instalment of our new three-part WAR ACROSS EUROPE series!
5203: WAR ACROSS EUROPE: Rebel!
The War Across Europe series starts off with a bang as the Nazis invade Poland. Stefan and Grigor are out hunting when they are attacked by Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-26164486871570716072019-02-20T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-20T05:03:00.401+00:00Rebellion Releases (2000AD)Rebellion releases for 20 February 2019.
2000AD Prog 2119
Cover: Luke Preece
JUDGE DREDD: MACHINE LAW by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRINK: HIGH SOCIETY by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
SKIP TRACER: LOUDER THAN BOMBS by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Quinto Winter (c) (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
GREY AREA: WHISTLEBLOWER by Dan Abnett Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-33075813753962457312019-02-17T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-17T05:03:02.564+00:00Ralph Peacock
RALPH PEACOCK
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
Ralph Peacock was briefly well-known for his cover designs and illustrations for several of G.A. Henty’s novels in the 1890s. However, his main interest was painting, and he went on to have a long and successful career as a portrait painter, although he is more or less forgotten today.
He was born on 14 August 1868 in Wood Green, north London, and Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-59126501071570264372019-02-15T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-15T05:03:03.124+00:00Comic Cuts - 15 February 2019
After last week's excitement, this week has been relatively quiet, although I've enjoyed having a couple of guests over at the house (Hi Norman, Hi Mum!). I'm back to writing at my old computer and I'm finding my eyes have slowly but surely settled into the new glasses. I'm still not sure that they're strong enough, but they're definitely an improvement... I'm taking longer breaks from the Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-32420758568624378532019-02-13T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-13T05:03:19.585+00:00Rebellion Releases (2000AD)Rebellion releases for 13 February 2019.
2000AD Prog 2118
Cover: Cliff Robinson/Dylan Teague (col).
JUDGE DREDD: MACHINE LAW by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRINK: HIGH SOCIETY by Dan Abnett (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
SKIP TRACER: LOUDER THAN BOMBS by James Peaty (w) Paul Marshall (a) Quinto Winter (c) (a) Ellie De Ville (l)
GREY AREA: Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-37600219315553181382019-02-10T05:03:00.000+00:002019-02-10T05:03:15.167+00:00Horace Petherick
H. PETHERICK
by
Robert J. Kirkpatrick
H. Petherick was a prolific illustrator of children’s books between around 1860 and 1900, who then had a second career as an expert on violins – their history, makers, and their restoration and repair.
He was born on 4 December 1838 at 18 Frederick Street, St. Pancras, London (and not in 1839 in Croydon, Surrey, as most other sources suggest), and Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32738097.post-85561615702653378792019-02-08T17:53:00.001+00:002019-02-08T17:53:07.793+00:00Comic Cuts - 8 February 2019
Today's Comic Cuts column is going up a little later than usual because I was in London on Thursday helping to film a segment for The One Show. I was contacted last month by a BBC production office who were tasked with putting together four and a half minutes on the subject of Harry Bensley, the man who claimed that he walked around the world in an Iron Mask.
I first wrote about Harry here on Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12010426017572710283noreply@blogger.com0